Remediation Capacities of Selected Fibrous Waste on Crude Oil Contaminated Soil

Abstract

The use of groundnut and melon seed husk in the remediation of crude oil contaminated soil was examined. The remediation was carried out at different concentrations (0.654mg/kg, 0.706mg/kg, 1.581mg/kg & 3.460mg/kg) of poly aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in the soil sample C (C_10, C₁₅, C₂₀ & C₂₅), which represents the control. The levels of PAHs in the soil samples before and after one month of amendments application were determined. The PAH levels of the soil that was amended with melon seed husk for  A_10ml, A_15ml, A_20ml and A_25ml were reduced by 81%, 53%, 61% and 86% respectively, while that amended with groundnut seed husk containing variable volumes of crude oil (sample B_10ml, B_15ml, B_20ml and B_25ml) were reduced by 74%, 76%, 69% and 91% respectively.

Keywords: remediation; contaminated soil; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; melon seed husk; groundnut seed husk.